Kernersville voted for a change in local leadership on Tuesday.

All precincts have reported in the municipal election and according to the North Carolina Board of Election’s unofficial tabulation, two challengers — Sarah Jane Sabanis and Randall Pegram — lead incumbent John Barrow and Irving Neal, chosen to receive the votes of recently deceased incumbent Joe Pinnix.

Incumbent Mayor Dawn Morgan maintained a comfortable 56% to 43% lead over challenger Kevin Hansford. Following her presumptive win, she told Scope News: “It is an honor to be re-elected as mayor of Kernersville. I would like to thank my friends, family, and supporters. I appreciate the trust and confidence of the voters of Kernersville. Congratulations to the newly elected aldermen, and I look forward to working with each of them to keep Kernersville moving in a positive direction as a safe, vibrant community that we enjoy calling home.”

After all incumbents ran unopposed in 2023, this year’s election presented the opportunity for new voices to help shape the next chapter of Kernersville’s history. In addition to Sabanis and Pegram, both of whom ran as Democrats, GOP challenger Michael Enscore also ran for a seat on the board.

Although all precincts in both counties have reported their votes in the local races, the results will not be official until after the certification process.

“I am so excited and ready to serve Kernersville alongside my fellow aldermen and Mayor Morgan,” Sabanis said in a statement provided to Scope News. “I want to thank everyone who came out to vote. Good politics starts local!”

Alderman Chris Thompson, who received enough votes to secure another term in office according to the unofficial results, also shared his reaction: “I want to thank all those that supported me again for another term; thank you for continued support!  Congratulations to all that were voted in yesterday, I look forward to working with you.”

Fellow incumbents J.R. Gorham and Bill Apple have also presumptively won their respective re-election bids.

This year’s election followed a period of reflection and transition for the town, shaped in part by the death of longtime Alderman Joe Pinnix, whose decades of civic service left a deep mark on Kernersville’s institutions. A replacement candidate, former Alderman Irving Neal, was selected by county Republican officials to receive all of the votes cast for Pinnix. 

Leading up to Election Day, candidates emphasized many of the same core themes: responsible growth, infrastructure, and preserving Kernersville’s small-town character amid surging development. At a forum presented by the Chamber of Commerce, the challenge of balancing expansion with concerns about traffic and infrastructure was a common topic of discussion among incumbents and challengers alike.

The election also marked Kernersville’s first under new rules requiring candidates to register with a partisan designation, a change some candidates worried would inject unnecessary division into local politics. 

Scope News will bring you continuing coverage of the election results, including reactions from the winners, as new details become available.

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